Learn which industries are hiring and how you can use social media to land your first post-college job.

You may have heard by now: the economy isn't great. Jobs are hard to find. Everyone's moving back in with their parents. Yikes. But the truth is, the job market isn't desolate. Recent graduates are not only finding employment, they're landing stimulating jobs that are reflective of their passions and interests. Yes, it takes confidence, patience, and persistence, but it is possible. We asked the experts about the best ways to launch your career.

Be confident.

"Have confidence in what you've done previously," says Amanda Pouchot, co-founder of The Levo League, an online social network for young professional women. "It's about being able to sell yourself and explain the skills you've developed, whether it's from past internships or student government opportunities. If you can do that, then you just have to be persistent."

Think of your first job as a stepping stone.

"If you think that a job has to be the end-all, be-all right out of school, it might actually inhibit you from taking an opportunity that can teach you a lot of leadership, technical, and people skills," says Caroline Ghosn, co-founder of The Levo League. "Your first job isn't necessarily your last job."

Reach out.

"Feel comfortable asking others for help," says Pouchot. "As young women, we don't like to ask for help. You're not supposed to have it all figured out. Whether it's saying, 'I really want to work here, can you help me figure out a game plan to get there?' or 'Can you introduce me to someone I could have an informational interview with?'—become comfortable asking for help. You have to be scrappy, and you have to look for every single opportunity and angle that can get you into that company."

Create a strong LinkedIn profile.

"Your LinkedIn summary statement should resemble the first few paragraphs of your best-written cover letter — concise and confident about your goals and qualifications," says Lindsay Pollack, author of Getting from College to Career: Your Essential Guide to Succeeding in the Real World. "You should also include key words and phrases that a recruiter might type into a search engine to find a person like you. The best place to find relevant keywords is by researching the job listings that appeal to you and the LinkedIn profiles of people who currently hold the kinds of positions you want. Opt for a professional, high-quality headshot of you alone."

Use Twitter appropriately.

"Twitter is the easiest, most commitment-free way to show potential employers that you were interested," says Ghosn. "React to things that they post to foster your relationships. People like when you favorite their tweets because it shows that you are listening to what they have to say. It keeps you top of their mind. And then beyond that, you can re-tweet to your followers. Mirroring is really important—look at the things that they tweet about, the language that they use, and what are they interested in. Try to position your conversation accordingly. It can display your personality, likes and dislikes in a professional way."

Network both online and offline.

"Too many young job seekers conduct their job searches almost entirely online. This is a big mistake," says Pollack. "Make sure you are setting up informational interviews, attending events, joining professional associations, talking to everyone you know, and keeping in touch with old contacts. As tempting as it is to surf the web all day for jobs, it's not as effective as getting out there and meeting people."

Look into emerging industries.

"There are hundreds of tech and fashion start-up companies launching; think about how you can bring your skill sets to help them improve," says Ghosn. "For example, can you apply the skills sets that you've learned as a student leader to help them expand their campus reach? There are so many different ways that your background is refreshing for a young organization. Start-ups offer the most opportunities because they're always understaffed, so you're given an amount of responsibility that you would never get in a more structured context."

Don't let minimum qualifications discourage you.

"If a job application says that it requires four years of experience to apply and you only have one, apply anyway," says Ghosn. "In order to even be considered for a job, you have to throw your hat in the ring. Just apply."

Work while you wait.

"Job searches today can take six months or longer because the economy is so tough," says Pollack. "Graduates should do anything they can to keep building their resumes while job hunting—volunteer, freelance, or take classes. When an employer asks what you've been doing since graduation, you want to have a strong answer."